Customer service edicts state that the customer is always right. Sometimes we disagree ... out of self defense. We don't like the implication that because the customer is right then we must be wrong. We defend our innocence and integrity!  Step back for a moment. There is a principle in Tai Chi that states that you can use your adversary's energy on themselves. Imagine saying the customer is always right. If you stop defending yourself and ask the client for a realistic solution to their own problem (a solution that, if they were you, they would see as fair)  you move away from being wrong To View More >>

I watched a video on DWF by Jesh de Rox ("Client Connections"). Everybody loves Jesh, and “Jesh loves everybody" ... Actually there are probably a few photographers who don’t "love Jesh" because they don’t know him ... Possibly fairer to say, ‘To know him is to be loved by him" ... and we all know that love works best as a two way street. He talked about getting couples to show their love to you, the photographer. You cannot do it without trust. And you cannot do it without first giving them some love of your own. How profoundly simple but true! Johannes To View More >>

Bear with me for a minute while I get opinionated – I know plenty will disagree with me ;-) I happened across a forum post recently. Someone asked if a certain prominent photographer's winning print at a certain prominent convention was so close to the edge that it had fallen off! After checking it out I thought the comment was a bit tough, but I could see the point. And the prominent guy wasn't alone – all the winning images were photoshopped within an inch of their lives. But the most striking thing? How different those images were to so much of what we see and admire in our Bindery. It's To View More >>

I read Ian's post on the Kodak Carousel and immediately wanted to put my hand up .... (a sling back to the days of discipline at a Catholic school). I'm probably stating the obvious but I felt the message was SO important that it deserved emphasising.  Yes, I understand the business side of the message but there was this other thing that became important too. The post has a video clip from Mad Men, a sublime tv program about an advertising agency in the States in the 60's. It's about the launch of the Carousel .... Forgetting the wonderfully clever pitch, the ability to turn an electromechanical To View More >>

At the seminar I mentioned recently the presenter prefaced anything that might sound critical with, "I know this doesn't apply to you, but..." So, I know this doesn't apply to you, but... Tony Bramley had this to say about Johanne's last post: "There have always been crap photographers. Even in the days of film our old lab used to tell us of terrible exposures etc. "It's just there are more of them with digital cameras who think they can do a professional job in a very amateur way. If they don't know their trade and tools they are not professionals. As a printing company as well as an album To View More >>

We see things differently, Jo (my lovely wife and the mother of our child) and I. She likes punchy images, and I like seeing detail and tone. You can't have both - it's a trade-off. In spite of our differences we both want the best. I sympathise with the lab, trying to keep people like us happy. Its going to be interesting seeing who gets to dress our child (in June). Cheers, Johannes To View More >>

"Previously we were offering albums we knew our competitors were also offering, but we’ve realised we can use the album to separate us from our competitors." That quote from Nigel's interview with the Youngrens reflects Queensberry's key message to photographers and it got me thinking... A while ago I posted about album companies in trouble – and not hitching your own wagon to dying stars. Today I'm suggesting you be wary of the latest and greatest too ;) In the US and UK markets of 2000, Queensberry albums were revolutionary because we hand-made every album to order. That meant photographers, To View More >>

My last post said that press books are great but they’re everywhere. "And that's the problem." Someone here was a bit concerned about me saying that. "Won't it put you offside with a lot of photographers?" Maybe. Although if you disagree I hope it's something to think about rather than get upset about. But the fact that many people do disagree is a good thing, at least for us and our clients. If our albums were everywhere they'd have no value. To you or to us. For example see the comments here. Does presenting your imagery in press books trumpet your high-end quality to the market? I don't think To View More >>

Being photographed for your wedding (especially your first one) is worth remembering. Well it should be!        Actually, no! The thing you shouldn't remember is being photographed. You should remember having a great time. You should remember laughing, feeling in love, being nervous, being energised, being with the one you love, being happy, but not "being photographed".  Your photographs should remind you of the feelings and emotions of the day, and not of somebody pointing a camera at you. This is an interesting concept ... The photographer as the facilitator for imagery that uses great To View More >>

There are times as photographers that we get approached by people to do a favour for them. Sometimes it is to talk at a photographic society, sometimes it is a request for help. We are happy to help people but we tell them that we work on the Genie Principle. We don't mind helping, but we don't like to be taken advantage of. We tell people that they have three wishes - only three. We remind them that they need to use those wishes well. Cheers, Johannes To View More >>